The present invention relates to a device for removing hypodermic needles from syringes or similar devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,281 describes a medical container designed to provide a simple method and structure for the disposal of medical needles, of the type for taking blood samples and similar applications. Needles of this type have a steel or metal shank portion through which the blood or liquid is drawn, a plastic collar intermediate the length of the steel shank for releasably engaging a barrel portion with a portion of the needle extending interior to the barrel. The needles are released from the barrel by screwing the plastic collar out of the barrel. The container assists in this operation and includes a needle release area, preferably a sunken recess, which has a needle receiving port having an enlarged area through which the needle and collar may pass and a restricted area for gripping the front portion of the plastic collar hub on the needle. The needle release area is shaped to provide the user with a mechanical advantage by using the barrel portion as a lever, forcing the collar into the restricted area of the needle release area in a manner to grip the collar and hold the same such that the barrel may be rotated to cause release of the needle. After the screw thread of the collar has been released from the barrel, the needle is then passed through the enlarged area, whereupon the needle falls through the enlarged area into the closed confines of the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,579 describes a vertically upright box-type outer enclosure including a hinged, lockable front door permitting an upwardly open disposable jar container to be locked internally and aligned with a hole within the top of the box-type enclosure. A cylindrical drop chute fits to the hole and is barrel bolt locked in position with its lower end penetrating the top of the jar. The top of the drop chute carries a slotted needle remover plate, with the slot tapering such that a disposable sharp steel plastic needle holder frictionally fit to the lower end of a syringe barrel is inserted within the slot at its enlarged end, moved transversely within the slot such that the plastic needle holder is captured beneath the needle remover plate. The syringe body barrel is moved upwardly detaching the needle therefrom and permitting it to fall by gravity into the sharps impenetrable, jar type container. The door is periodically opened and the jar and accumulated needles removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,327 describes a limited access closure cover for an opening in a top of a disposable sharps container comprising a frame for securing to the periphery of an open top of a container, an opening in the cover, the opening having the configuration of a cross section axial view of the syringe body, and finger flanges on the syringe body for receiving the axial passage of the body of a hypodermic syringe when angularly oriented to conform thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,767 describes a needle removal/containment and transport apparatus for potentially injurious medical implements, generally comprising a storage and transport housing; a storage container slidably inserted within the housing for receiving and storing the implements; a plastic bag surrounding the container; a needle removal device mounted on the container for threadably disengaging needle/syringe assemblies and depositing the needles into the container; and an entry port formed on the container with a releasably insertable plug member for depositing implements such as syringes, scalpels, etc. into the container. The housing is formed with flap members to permanently seal the container within the housing, yet permit access to the container. The housing is further formed with a cover member to permanently sealingly close the housing for transport to ultimate disposal. The needle removal device comprises a plate member formed with a first receiving slot, and an integral needle engaging member comprising a pair of opposed finger members integrated with a base member to form a stepped slot providing a second receiving slot and a contiguous engaging slot. The first receiving slot is laterally aligned with the second receiving slot at an elevation generally higher with respect thereto. The needle hub is slidably translated through the second receiving slot into engagement with the needle removal device via the engaging slot whereupon the syringe can be rotated relative to the needle hub to unthread the needle from the syringe. The unthreaded needle and syringe are then removed from the engaging slot and translated through the second receiving slot and into the first receiving slot such that the needle hub is disposed on the underside of the plate member permitting the needle to drop into the container. In the event the needle has not been fully unthreaded from the syringe or in the case of a multi-sample needle where the needle can hang-up within the syringe, the needle hub will engage the underside of the plate member in response to upward forces applied to the syringe to act as a stop preventing the needle from being pulled out of the removal device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,462 describes a receptacle including a first recess for receiving the anterior end of the barrel of a conventional double ended needle blood collection tube holder to stabilize the holder during threaded disengagement of the needle. A post is disposed within the recess to prevent rotation of the hub while the holder is rotated to unthread the hub. Upon threaded disengagement, the needle drops into the receptacle, which drop may be augmented by a pair of leaf springs. A second recess in the receptacle receives the collar of a guard supporting a translatable blood collection tube holder, which holder threadedly engages the hub of a double ended needle. A post within the recess can extend within the collar to engage a rib of the hub to prevent rotation of the double ended needle upon rotation of the guard to threadedly disengage the hub from the holder. Upon threaded disengagement, the double ended needle drops into the receptacle, which drop may be augmented by a pair of leaf springs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,156 describes a needle removal and storage device comprising a plate member attachable to a suitable container. The plate member is formed with a an engaging slot defined by a pair of opposed finger members. The engaging slot is laterally aligned with a receiving slot disposed at an elevation generally higher with respect thereto. The needle hub is slidably translated through the engaging slot into engagement with the finger members whereupon the syringe can be disengaged from the needle. The disengaged needle and syringe are then removed from the engaging slot and translated into the receiving slot such that the needle hub is disposed on the underside of the plate member permitting the needle to drop into the container. In the event the needle has not been fully unthreaded from the syringe or in the case of a multi-sample needle where the needle can hang-up within the syringe, the needle hub will engage the underside of the plate member in response to upward forces applied to the syringe to act as a stop preventing the needle from being pulled out of the removal device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,346 describes an improved device for removing used needles from reusable syringes. The device may be operated using only one hand and requires a single downward force applied to the syringe body by the health care worker. At the lower end of the downward stroke, the collar of the needle has been twisted off the syringe body and is automatically deposited into the receptacle for used needles. The health care worker releases the force and the apparatus automatically resets itself to receive another used needle. The device has few parts and may be assembled easily.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,164 describes a disposal container for automatic release of cannulas from a holder and for disposal of the cannulas, and a system for hands-free release of a cannula from a holder. Included is a disposal container having a release aperture formed in the top, the aperture including opposite tapered sides extending into the container. A cannula is mounted in a cannula holder, the holder having at least one depressible lock element extending from the holder. The holder is inserted in the release aperture with the lock element engaging the tapered side, and the holder is then depressed to automatically eject the cannula from the holder. If the cannula is installed in a removable adapter inserted in the holder, both the adapter and the cannula are ejected when the holder is depressed in the aperture.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,877 describes a disposable container closure assembly including a needle removal slot having gear teeth along one side thereof for engaging flutes on a needle hub for rotating the needle relative to a non-rotatable holder passed therealong.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,122 describes a needle disposal system has a blood collection holder with an engaged blood collection needle and a companion biohazard receptacle for disposal of the needle after use. First, the blood collection needle engaged to the holder is irreversibly positively locked upon insertion into respective needle removal device of the biohazard receptacle, thereby preventing withdrawal of the needle from the biohazard receptacle. The needle is then unthreaded from the holder and disposed of inside the biohazard receptacle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,113 describes a disposal container for automatic release of cannulas from a holder and for disposal of the cannulas, and a system for hands-free release of a cannula from a holder. Included is a disposal container having a release aperture formed in the top, the aperture including opposite tapered sides extending into the container. A cannula is mounted in a cannula holder, the holder having at least one depressible lock element extending from the holder. The holder is inserted in the release aperture with the lock element engaging the tapered side, and the holder is then depressed to automatically eject the cannula from the holder. If the cannula is installed in a removable adapter inserted in the holder, both the adapter and the cannula are ejected when the holder is depressed in the aperture.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,315 describes a container lid for a medical storage-disposal container including a slide closure resistant to inadvertent movement from an open position into a fully closed and locked position. The container lid includes a top cover defining a disposal aperture and a laterally oriented depression. The slide closure contains a descending flange configured to engage the top cover depression and lock the slide closure in a fully closed position. An obstructing tab is pivotally coupled to the top cover and projects into the disposal aperture. The slide closure can only be moved into a fully closed and locked position if the obstructing tab is rotated into a non-obstructing orientation. The slide closure further includes protrusions on opposing lateral sides to require application of an affirmative force in order to displace the slide closure from a fully opened position. The slide enclosure further includes a plurality of straight sided apertures to facilitate removal of protective covers from hypodermic needles of varying size. The top cover further includes an aperture intersecting a tapering slot to facilitate removal of hypodermic needles of varying sizes from syringe bodies.
All prior art devices for removing needles from syringes or cannulas must have the function of only temporarily securing a needle hub for unlocking. The speed, ease of use, safety and low cost of the unlocking device are the goals of the well designed needle unlocking devices. It is apparent from the variety of needle unlocking devices that the search for improvements is current and critical in light of the ease of transmission of chronic and life-threatening diseases through pin pricks from needles as well as splashing and aerosolization of the body fluids that can easily occur in the unlocking and disposal motions.